The pursuit of a college degree in Venezuela has become a powerful testament to the resilience of its students. Amid a complex humanitarian crisis, these students bravely confront power outages, food shortages, unreliable transport and the breakdown of public institutions. Here is information about higher education in Venezuela and efforts to improve it.
Higher Education in Venezuela Under Pressure
Public universities operate with minimal budgets. Autonomous institutions struggle to maintain operations. Most professors earn $8 a month, making them the lowest-paid in Latin America.
These challenging conditions have led to a brain drain, delayed graduation timelines and a decline in academic quality. Yet, many universities continue to function, fueled by the unwavering commitment and resilience of students and professors.
Endurance
In interviews with The Borgen Project, students shared how endurance, not just academic effort, has helped them carry on.
Take Víctor Solórzano, for instance, who recently earned a degree in social communication from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB). His college years were a mix of trauma, fun and enrichment. Balancing part-time jobs and scholarships, he navigated frequent blackouts and inflation. His motivation was the thought of his mother’s pride on his graduation day.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Mata, a computer science student at Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana (UNEG), is completing his thesis despite a shortage of faculty and materials. “Many professors left because their salaries couldn’t support them,” he said. He credited study groups with helping him stay focused. “For me, finishing this thesis proves I didn’t give up.”
Poverty, Inflation and Brain Drain
In Venezuela, university costs reflect the hardship students endure rather than traditional tuition rates. Hyperinflation has a severe impact on daily life and the education sector, with the government allocating only 2.6% of its budget to universities in 2024.
Electricity, water and internet access are far from reliable. According to the Venezuelan Universities Observatory (OBU), 95% of universities lack stable internet, and more than 80% experience frequent power and water outages. These issues interrupt classes regularly and limit access to digital learning tools.
On top of this, most professors earn under $10 per month, nowhere near enough to cover basic expenses. In 2024, a single household needed more than $530 a month to afford a basic food basket.
This situation is why more than 40% of professors have left their positions in the last three years. Those who stay often juggle multiple classes, skip meals or rely on outside jobs to make ends meet.
Professor Lilia (a pseudonym), who teaches at UNEG in the southern part of the country, said some of her students arrive at class without eating or miss lectures due to transportation issues. “Sometimes they don’t choose a career based on interest, but based on what’s available nearby or what they can afford,” she said. To keep classes going during outages, they often use WhatsApp voice notes or meet in person when possible.
According to the NGO Aula Abierta, between 40% and 70% of students have dropped out of their studies since 2023, mainly due to migration or a lack of financial means to continue.
Ramón Rivera Verde, a former university professor, witnessed this collapse up close. “My salary didn’t cover the basics. I resisted as long as I could,” he said. He now lives abroad but still follows the state of education in his country. “The resilience of the institutions that continue to serve students under impossible circumstances.”
Innovation as a Lifeline
Despite adversity, local organizations and universities have developed creative ways to support students. Fundación Andrés Bello, which is affiliated with the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, offers scholarships, school supplies and community support to low-income students.
Meanwhile, the now-closed Alimenta la Solidaridad operated more than 300 community kitchens across Venezuela, providing daily meals to families and students. It ended activities in May 2025 due to a lack of government protection.
Cáritas de Venezuela is an organization that addresses malnutrition by distributing food and monitoring the health of children. Its work improves cognitive performance and helps students stay in school.
To respond to new challenges, UCAB launched shorter, job-oriented programs, such as associate degrees (TSU) in software design and occupational safety and insurance.
Students can also pursue technical certifications in areas such as cooking and pastry arts at CIAP-UCAB. These programs offer quick paths to employment. The UCAB Fashion Academy links design skills with income opportunities.
Looking Ahead
The higher education system in Venezuela faces significant challenges, but students and educators are addressing these issues through grassroots initiatives. Education becomes a form of resistance, providing hope for a brighter future.
– Su Ying Lee Yang
Su is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
Ending Child Poverty in Croatia
Child Poverty in Croatia: An Overview
As of 2023, the child poverty rate in Croatia stood at 16.1%, down from around 21% in 2014. Following its independence in the late 1990s, Croatia experienced significant economic changes during the early 2000s and 2010s, including the 2008 financial crisis and the 2019 COVID-19 pandemic. These events caused fluctuations in the number of lower-income families, directly impacting many Croatian children and their living conditions.
The prevalence of lower-income families directly impacts many Croatian children and their livelihoods. Currently:
These numbers are a product of many families not having access to the proper resources to support their families. Many parents have difficulty affording preschool or other necessities for their young children to strive in society. This upbringing creates a skills gap for many young people in Croatia, contributing to high youth unemployment rates.
Combating Child Poverty in Croatia
Several organizations support children living in poverty in Croatia to combat this disparity. One of the most notable is SOS Children’s Villages, which operates nationwide. SOS Children’s Villages has supported Croatian children without parental care since 1992, addressing child poverty head-on. It aims to end child poverty by protecting and supporting children in their care, helping them access education and building careers for adulthood.
The charity has kept 35 families together, provided safe homes for 140 kids and prepared 55 young people for independent living. Its social centers serve vulnerable families to help them climb out of poverty. Children in SOS Children’s Villages are supported in staying connected with their families and communities. At the same time, their strengths are nurtured as they grow and learn. Overall, SOS Children’s Villages provide children access to proper health and educational services. This support offers opportunities many might not have had outside the Villages.
Similarly, Caritas Croatia (Hrvatski Caritas) has been tackling child poverty and social exclusion through its wide-reaching network since 1992. Operating across more than 10 dioceses and hundreds of parish outlets, it assists vulnerable families, orphans, children with disabilities and war-affected youth. The organization has supported more than 5,000 children.
The Long Run
The long-term impact of SOS Children’s Villages clearly shows its commitment to combating child poverty in Croatia. The program lays a foundation for a future filled with career opportunities and self-sufficiency by providing children with a strong support network early on.
Looking ahead, SOS Children’s Villages have the potential to break the cycle of poverty by equipping Croatia’s youth with the resources they need for a fresh start and a brighter future.
– Angelina Tas
Photo: Flickr
Entrepreneurship in Kenya: Fueling Innovation Growth
The Hubs and Accelerators Powering New Ventures
Kenya’s startup ecosystem is underpinned by a network of accelerators and coworking hubs that support founders. Facilities like iHub have nurtured more than 450 alum ventures and connected more than 40,000 collaborators through mentorship programs, hackathons and investor showcases. Similarly, Nairobi Garage offers flexible workspaces, regular pitch events and introductions to local and international investors. These institutions foster collaboration, facilitate access to early-stage capital and help entrepreneurs refine their business models before scaling.
Success Stories: Kenyan Startups Changing the Game
Twiga Foods, founded in 2014, exemplifies rapid growth from a local startup to a regional powerhouse. The company links 13,000 smallholder farmers to more than 5,000 urban retailers by integrating a mobile ordering platform with M-Pesa payments. After securing a $10 million Series A round in 2017 and $30 million in 2019, Twiga closed a $50 million Series C in 2021, making it a leading player in Africa’s agri-tech ecosystem.
In contrast, Chpter, established in 2022, illustrates the promise of early-stage ventures. Its AI-powered conversational commerce chatbot is deployed on WhatsApp and Instagram. In September 2024, it secured $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to expand across Kenya and South Africa. These examples highlight the spectrum of success, from large-scale impact to nascent innovation.
The Real Challenges Kenyan Founders Face
Despite notable achievements, Kenyan entrepreneurs encounter persistent challenges. Early-stage funding remains scarce, with only about 5% of seed-funded startups advancing to a Series A round. Regulatory shifts, ranging from changes in company registration requirements to fluctuating tax policies, can delay product launches and inflate compliance costs. Moreover, infrastructural gaps, particularly in rural regions, hinder reliable logistics and market access, forcing many ventures to develop costly workarounds or partner with third-party distributors.
Sector Spotlight: Where Kenya’s Startups Are Betting Big
The sectoral landscape of Kenyan startups has diversified significantly. Historically, Fintech is the largest recipient of venture capital and accounts for roughly 13% of total funding, with mobile payment solutions and digital credit platforms driving initial growth. Cleantech has soared to represent 46% of equity investments, propelled by solar-irrigation firms such as SunCulture ($27.5 million raised) and electric mobility operators. Additionally, agritech continues to attract attention, making up 15% of funding; supply-chain management and crop monitoring innovations respond directly to agriculture’s role as the backbone of Kenya’s economy.
Beyond Borders: How Kenyan Startups Go Global
Kenyan startups are increasingly eyeing regional and global markets. Twiga Foods has extended its distribution model to neighboring countries, leveraging digital infrastructure and cross-border partnerships to scale rapidly. Similarly, fintech companies often integrate with payment networks across East Africa to serve the diaspora and streamline remittances. Programs like the World Bank–supported Startup Savanna initiative connect local entrepreneurs to international mentors and investors, facilitating market entry and regulatory navigation beyond Kenya’s borders.
Turning Innovation Into Impact: Startups Fighting Poverty
Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in Kenya’s fight against extreme poverty. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund provides affordable loans, training and market linkages to entrepreneurs aged 18–34, underpinned by Kenya Vision 2030. In parallel, a forthcoming Startup Act promises tax incentives and streamlined business registration to lower barriers to new ventures. By generating employment, fostering financial inclusion through digital platforms and improving agricultural livelihoods, startups contribute directly to poverty alleviation and community resilience. Furthermore, the combination of public-sector support and private-sector innovation underscores how homegrown enterprises drive sustainable socioeconomic change across Kenya.
Industry’s Proven Path vs. Startup Spark
Industrialization has been a cornerstone of poverty reduction and job creation in Kenya for decades. Manufacturing contributed 7.6% of GDP and generated more than 350,000 direct jobs in 2022. This underscores how factories and export‐oriented clusters have lifted communities from poverty through reliable employment. Under Vision 2030 and its “Big Four” agenda, the government aims to raise manufacturing’s share to 20% by 2030, bolstered by new industrial parks and streamlined tax incentives.
While industrial parks offer mass employment and proven supply chains, start-ups shine in agility and innovation. However, the real challenge and opportunity is blending these models. By channeling the entrepreneurial energy of small ventures into scalable manufacturing and service hubs, entrepreneurship in Kenya could honor the time-tested path of industrialization and unlock new frontiers in sustainable poverty alleviation.
– Alexander Broermann
Photo: Flickr
Higher Education in Venezuela
Higher Education in Venezuela Under Pressure
Public universities operate with minimal budgets. Autonomous institutions struggle to maintain operations. Most professors earn $8 a month, making them the lowest-paid in Latin America.
These challenging conditions have led to a brain drain, delayed graduation timelines and a decline in academic quality. Yet, many universities continue to function, fueled by the unwavering commitment and resilience of students and professors.
Endurance
In interviews with The Borgen Project, students shared how endurance, not just academic effort, has helped them carry on.
Take Víctor Solórzano, for instance, who recently earned a degree in social communication from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (UCAB). His college years were a mix of trauma, fun and enrichment. Balancing part-time jobs and scholarships, he navigated frequent blackouts and inflation. His motivation was the thought of his mother’s pride on his graduation day.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Mata, a computer science student at Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana (UNEG), is completing his thesis despite a shortage of faculty and materials. “Many professors left because their salaries couldn’t support them,” he said. He credited study groups with helping him stay focused. “For me, finishing this thesis proves I didn’t give up.”
Poverty, Inflation and Brain Drain
In Venezuela, university costs reflect the hardship students endure rather than traditional tuition rates. Hyperinflation has a severe impact on daily life and the education sector, with the government allocating only 2.6% of its budget to universities in 2024.
Electricity, water and internet access are far from reliable. According to the Venezuelan Universities Observatory (OBU), 95% of universities lack stable internet, and more than 80% experience frequent power and water outages. These issues interrupt classes regularly and limit access to digital learning tools.
On top of this, most professors earn under $10 per month, nowhere near enough to cover basic expenses. In 2024, a single household needed more than $530 a month to afford a basic food basket.
This situation is why more than 40% of professors have left their positions in the last three years. Those who stay often juggle multiple classes, skip meals or rely on outside jobs to make ends meet.
Professor Lilia (a pseudonym), who teaches at UNEG in the southern part of the country, said some of her students arrive at class without eating or miss lectures due to transportation issues. “Sometimes they don’t choose a career based on interest, but based on what’s available nearby or what they can afford,” she said. To keep classes going during outages, they often use WhatsApp voice notes or meet in person when possible.
According to the NGO Aula Abierta, between 40% and 70% of students have dropped out of their studies since 2023, mainly due to migration or a lack of financial means to continue.
Ramón Rivera Verde, a former university professor, witnessed this collapse up close. “My salary didn’t cover the basics. I resisted as long as I could,” he said. He now lives abroad but still follows the state of education in his country. “The resilience of the institutions that continue to serve students under impossible circumstances.”
Innovation as a Lifeline
Despite adversity, local organizations and universities have developed creative ways to support students. Fundación Andrés Bello, which is affiliated with the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, offers scholarships, school supplies and community support to low-income students.
Meanwhile, the now-closed Alimenta la Solidaridad operated more than 300 community kitchens across Venezuela, providing daily meals to families and students. It ended activities in May 2025 due to a lack of government protection.
Cáritas de Venezuela is an organization that addresses malnutrition by distributing food and monitoring the health of children. Its work improves cognitive performance and helps students stay in school.
To respond to new challenges, UCAB launched shorter, job-oriented programs, such as associate degrees (TSU) in software design and occupational safety and insurance.
Students can also pursue technical certifications in areas such as cooking and pastry arts at CIAP-UCAB. These programs offer quick paths to employment. The UCAB Fashion Academy links design skills with income opportunities.
Looking Ahead
The higher education system in Venezuela faces significant challenges, but students and educators are addressing these issues through grassroots initiatives. Education becomes a form of resistance, providing hope for a brighter future.
– Su Ying Lee Yang
Photo: Unsplash
Refugee Week 2025: Top 10 Events
Top 10 Events
Below is a list of the top 10 events that took place during Refugee Week in the United Kingdom (U.K.) across schools, community centers and online.
Looking Ahead
Refugee Week highlights the experiences of forcibly displaced people and includes events that recognize the cultures and resilience of refugee communities. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), one in every 67 people worldwide has been forced to flee their home and children make up 40% of all refugees. However, efforts like donating to refugee-focused charities, volunteering with local organizations or helping to foster a welcoming environment can spell a more positive future for refugee communities.
– Elsa Tarring
Photo: Flickr
The Fight Against the Gender Wage Gap in Belarus
In Belarusian society, women are often encouraged to pursue lower-risk jobs with standard working conditions and flexible hours, as they dedicate on average 19.2% of their time to unpaid domestic and care work, such as raising children. In contrast, their male counterparts have the freedom to choose professions with longer hours and higher remuneration as they spend only 9.5% of their time on these tasks. As a result of these lower wages and high familial expectations, female workers are more at risk of falling into poverty than male workers.
Despite ranking at #55 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, Belarus is taking significant steps through legislation and internationally backed initiatives to climb the ladder and end discriminatory practices against women in the workplace. These are two key ways that Belarus is fighting against the gender wage gap.
International Aid Efforts
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is an international organization focused on supporting efforts for social and economic progress worldwide, currently working to improve women’s working conditions in Belarus. As a result of a partnership with UNICEF and the National Statistical Committee, the UNDP is now able to collect sex-disaggregated data, enabling it to find national solutions and track their progress in combating the gender wage gap.
Progressive Legislation
In conjunction with these social efforts, Belarus has recently passed multiple pieces of legislation that are already producing positive results.
In 2017, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus adopted the National Plan for Gender Equality. With the goal of developing a more gendered approach to public policy to level the professional playing field and empower women to hold more managerial positions, the action plan has been largely successful since its implementation. Not only do women possess more upper management positions than before, but they also make up 70% of the 69,000 cultural workers in Belarus as they work in the fields of media, education and culture.
In the National Review of the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, a review in which the government presents answers to questions generated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and UN Women, the Belarusian government explains that they have increased the salaries of employees in the women-dominated public sector. Although they do not give specific figures, professions such as teachers, medical workers and pharmaceutical professionals were the main beneficiaries and are expected to receive further salary augmentation before the end of 2025. This legislation seeks to close the gap between the salaries of these predominantly female professions and the predominantly male industrial professions in Belarus, who consistently earn far more than their female counterparts.
Political Arena
Women have also been rising to prominence in the political arena. Despite the rigid, male-dominated, autocratic regime, in both 2015 and 2020, multiple women were registered as single candidates in the presidential elections, signaling progression towards gender equality across many professions.
While the gender wage gap in Belarus is nowhere near eradicated, these progressive measures put in place by the government and international entities are positive steps towards gender equality in the workplace. These steps provide progressives and feminists across Belarus with cautious optimism. Despite the work that remains, feminist leader Irina Solomatina believes that “being a woman in Belarus is good,” as she hopes for future equality between genders in the workplace and, in turn, a lower risk of poverty for Belarusian women.
– Jack Schuchard
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Health Care in Cameroon: Challenges of Conflict and Disease
The top causes of death in Cameroon recorded in 2021 include lower respiratory infections as number one followed by stroke and Covid-19, respectively. Since 2021, there has been a surge of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV in Cameroon and other neighboring countries, highlighting the urgency for accessible health care.
The fragility of the health care system in Cameroon is largely due to ongoing conflicts in the North West and South West regions. Since 2016, Cameroon has experienced violent confrontations between government forces and separatist groups, widely referred to as the “Anglophone crisis”. The violence has resulted in the displacement of millions and the destruction of more than 200 medical facilities. As a result, in 2025, a projected 3.3 million people living in Cameroon will need humanitarian aid.
Malaria
The malaria outbreak began in 2013, initially affecting the northern regions of Cameroon. According to CNN, 800 people died from the outbreak and over 12,000 individuals were hospitalized for severe malaria. However, less than 10 treatment centers were available and qualified doctors were scarce.
In 2021, 50% of hospitalizations in Cameroon were caused by malaria, with the majority of patients being children under 5 years old. Cameroon accounted for 2.6% of global malaria cases and 2.1% of malaria deaths in the following year.
In order to improve health care coverage for citizens in Cameroon, the CDC has supported the prevention and control of malaria since 2017. This collaboration has allowed Cameroon to introduce the Cameroon Field Epidemiology Training Program (CAFETP) in 2010, which has helped provide training to other medical professionals in several surrounding countries. The joint effort helped train hundreds of CAFETP graduates and technicians to effectively recognize and treat malaria.
Cameroon introduced a vaccine for malaria in January 2024, becoming the first country to do so. By December 2024, Cameroon achieved a vaccination coverage rate of 47%. While there are still some regions within Cameroon that lack adequate health care, this accomplishment has made substantial strides toward an equitable health care system.
HIV
As of 2024, Cameroon is estimated to have over 500,000 individuals living with HIV. Despite the substantial numbers, there is a notable drop in the prevalence of HIV between 2011 and 2018 in people ages 15-49. In more recent years, the HIV transmission rate between infants has also decreased, from 3.22% in 2023 to 1.78% in 2024. These achievements are primarily attributable to aid from organizations such as UNICEF and the CDC.
Funds raised by UNICEF brought resources to support HIV transmission rates among infants and young children. In addition, UNICEF supported various HIV interventions for pregnant women, including antiretroviral therapy and testing.
The support of the CDC through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) allows access to HIV health care in all 10 regions in Cameroon. The magnitude of this is substantial, as 95% of individuals receiving HIV treatment in Cameroon are using PEPFAR-supported sites.
In addition, Cameroon launched its Universal Health Coverage (UHC) system in April 2023 as part of its effort to increase health care access, particularly for vulnerable populations such as individuals living with HIV. By December 2024, this program allowed over 3 million people to register for the UHC program while also ensuring free access to HIV services for over 400,000 individuals.
Tuberculosis
In 2021, tuberculosis was listed as the fifth highest cause of death among individuals living in Cameroon, affecting 164 per 100,00 people. The mortality rate has seen a slight decrease since 2015, going from 31 to 30 per 100,00 individuals. More notably, is the tuberculosis mortality rate in individuals with HIV going from 31 to 14 in the same time period.
The CDC played a vital role in this operation, as nearly all tuberculosis patients at PEPFAR facilities have also been tested for HIV. In addition to HIV treatments provided by the UHC program, it provided free consultations to nearly 650 thousand children, along with free tuberculosis treatment to over 27 thousand individuals.
In response to these medical milestones, Cameroon initiated the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP), focusing on ending tuberculosis by 2030. This strategy emphasizes screening and early diagnosis, training health care workers, disease prevention, and consistent management of HIV and tuberculosis in affected patients.
A Look Into the Future
While Cameroon continues to face health challenges intensified by internal conflicts, a growing population, and the burden of communicable diseases, recent developments demonstrate meaningful progress. Continued investment in health care access, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations, will be critical to ensuring that the country is equipped to meet both current needs and future demands. With outside support and long-term planning, Cameroon has the potential to strengthen its health care system and improve health outcomes for millions of its citizens.
– Grace Johnson
Photo: Flickr
Disability and Poverty in Somalia
About Disability in Somalia
About 13.5% of adults in rural areas have reported having a disability. This higher rate is likely influenced by limited access to health care services, poor nutrition and the impact of prolonged conflict, which increases the risk of injury and chronic illness. Rural communities also tend to face greater barriers in accessing rehabilitation services and assistive devices, contributing to higher levels of untreated or unmanaged disabilities. It is estimated that landmines and “Explosive Remnants of War” are causing 7,000 disabilities a year.
The most prevalent disabilities among both females and males are an inability to see or walk properly. Such physical impairments will significantly impact someone’s ability to perform daily activities, access education, and participate in the workforce.
Somalia has ratified other international treaties such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (2015), the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights which make some commitment to prevent discrimination and promote care and inclusion. However, there is little enforcement of these provisions and they did not ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Due to this, Amnesty International says that, “the rights of most people with disabilities continue to be excluded, and their particular needs and concerns forgotten.”
About Life for the Disabled in Somalia
Life poses several challenges for disabled people, showing the link between disability and poverty in Somalia.
Humanitarian Aid
The EU has allocated up to €202.54 million for humanitarian interventions in the country between 2023 and 2025. This funding supports aid organizations in delivering food assistance, basic health and nutrition services, clean water, protection, shelter and education.
In addition, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been delivering critical services in Somalia since 1981. It delivers programming in health, nutrition, water and sanitation services, women’s protection, as well as addressing the impacts of drought and food insecurity. For example, in 2023, it was able to impact 500,000 people through its work. In particular, it provided life-saving healthcare in challenging environments by delivering it through mobile outreach teams to ensure “hard-to-reach communities can access healthcare.”
Looking Ahead
One cannot separate disability in Somalia from the broader context of poverty, conflict and systemic neglect. With nearly 12% of the adult population living with a disability, the issue is far from marginal. The challenges—ranging from poor health care access and lack of education to food insecurity and digital exclusion—are deeply rooted in both social inequality and the country’s ongoing humanitarian crises. While international aid and local initiatives offer some relief, lasting change requires sustained investment in inclusive policies and community-based support.
– Noorum Khan
Photo: Unsplash
Examining Child Marriage in Russia
About Child Marriage in Russia
In Russia, 254,000 girls were married by 15, and 5.4 million were married by 18. Unfortunately, even the best resources and websites on the matter do not provide much information regarding the population of girls who are experiencing coercion to marry. According to Girls Not Brides, an organization dedicated to eradicating child marriage and advocating for young women in developing countries, under Russia’s Article 12 of the Family Code, both men and women must be at least 18 years old to marry. However, there is other legislation that provides loopholes. Under Article 13 of the Family Code, a boy and a girl can marry at younger than 18, but never younger than 14 under special circumstances.
When dealing with child marriage in Russia, the problem runs significantly deeper than laws concerning the age of consent and getting beyond that red tape. Poverty, gender inequality and deep-rooted practices are all factors that influence the rate of child marriage; these factors are incredibly prevalent in modern Russia.
In 2020, the percentage of Russians living in poverty was 12.1%. While poverty has been decreasing throughout Russia, despite the ongoing war with Ukraine, poverty disproportionately affects women. The persistent pay gap and income gap greatly impact the average earnings of women in Russia. The matter becomes worse. As women tend to make less money, a woman’s poverty is then passed down to her children, affecting their access to higher education. Consider this pattern regarding the cycle of child marriage. Higher education is a wonderful resource when offering girls careers and lives outside of being a housewife, yet Russia’s current economy stubbornly limits a woman to that role.
Poverty and Misogyny in Russia
Poverty also exacerbates misogyny, the root cause behind child marriage in Russia. Russia’s domestic violence rate reflects Russia’s sexism and misogyny. Domestic violence against women is abundant in Russia, where 10% of all domestic violence deaths globally take place. For reference, Russia comprises 2% of the world’s population. There is abundant evidence revealing the link between poverty and domestic violence, and living in poverty can intensify violence towards women to immense extremes. Barbara Niess-May of the Safe House Center provides specific data points to make this point clearer: “In short, being poor further entraps the survivor in the abuse, and often lengthens any process she may go through to escape.” Returning to Russia’s domestic violence, the poverty disproportionately affecting women easily becomes a tool, manipulated by the abuser to keep the victim beneath him.
In a study by Marina Pisklakova-Parker, titled “Gender Issues in Russia,” she found that “71 percent of Russians share the opinion that the main purpose of a woman is to be a mother and a good housewife.” More concerningly, she also reported that “The Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova publicly stated that since 10 April 2020, the number of domestic violence cases had more than doubled from 6,054 to about 13,000 per month.”
The Work of the ANNA Center
Despite the previously mentioned statistics, there is a growing feminist movement within Russia. The government has pledged to end child marriages in Russia by the year 2030; the United Nations has also made it a global goal to end all child marriages. Foreign aid plays a critical role when advocating for girls and women inside Russia, and the efforts have not been in vain. According to Bearr.org, there are 2% fewer domestic violence murders and 6% fewer rapes. Marina Pisklakova-Parker, the previously mentioned researcher, created The ANNA Center, the first domestic violence shelter for women in Russia, in 2015. Following the ANNA Center is the Zona Prava, the Consortium of Women’s Non-government Organizations, Nasiliu and the You Are Not Alone Network as the leading Russian NGOs combating violence against women, which includes child marriage.
The impact of these shelters is no small feat, and sparked great change throughout the country of Russia. Pisklakova-Parker’s ANNA shelter is open to all women, no matter their income or residential address, two factors that make state shelters inaccessible to many women. To gain entry to a state shelter, women had to bring documentation of their husbands’ finances. In implementing this rule, many women are so longer able to utilize the shelter’s safety, as it would demand that they confront their abusers about their leaving. ANNA has no such rule, and is open to whoever needs the shelter. There is no public information containing how many women ANNA has helped, but in interviews, Pisklakova-Parker speaks positively of the growth of the shelter.
Nasiliu
Operating alongside ANNA, Nasiliu is an online resource for victims of domestic violence. Anna Rivinia established Nasiliu in 2015, beginning as a media project that focused on raising awareness of domestic violence in Russia. As recently as April 18, 2024, Nasiliu has expanded to global outreach for all Russian-speaking victims across the world. Most admirably, Nasiliu provides education on how to combat domestic violence legally within the framework of the Russian legal system.
– Peyton Worsham
Photo: Unsplash
New Center for Nuclear Medicine in Uzbekistan to be Established
New Nuclear Medicine Center in Uzbekistan
The Uzatom Agency, the Uzbek executive authority responsible for implementing state policy for atomic energy use, and the S. Berezin Medical Institute (MIBS) have formed a partnership to open a new medical center to introduce modernized nuclear medicine in Uzbekistan. This project was announced at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and will be supported by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Founded in 2003, the S. Berezin Medical Institute established networks of diagnostic centers and providing new diagnostic technology and treatment methods. MIBS operates more than 80 centers across 60 cities in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Annually, MIBS provides more than 1.5 million MRI and CT scans, as well as 4,000 examinations every day.
Focusing on Nuclear Medicine in Uzbekistan
The agreement between the Uzatom agency and MIBS aims to focus on implementing nuclear medicine in Uzbekistan as an integral part of improving and modernizing the country’s healthcare system, specifically its oncology care system.
The center will have new, state-of-the-art equipment for numerous procedures and services. It could have technology capable of performing positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and high-precision radiosurgery systems, like Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. There are also plans to equip the center with a laboratory for the production of radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive drugs used for diagnostic imaging and treatment. Additionally, the center will provide radionuclide therapy and perform isotopic-based diagnostic research.
This new nuclear medicine center will improve upon Uzbekistan’s health care system by providing doctors with the technology to detect cancer earlier than previously possible, track metastases, and treat a patient’s tumors and complex diseases rather than defaulting to surgery and painful operations.
Improving Uzbekistan’s Health Care System
This project is part of Uzbekistan’s goal to modernize its health care system and to start rolling out reforms by 2026.
A series of reforms have already been established in the Syrdarya region of the country. As of September 2023, some achievements of these reforms include the establishment of a state health insurance fund, a more structured primary health care (PHC) system, new provider payments and contracts with health facilities, and advanced e-health information systems for pharmacies.
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) specifically emphasizes the successes of the PHC reform in Syrdarya. It holds the following accomplishments in high regard: expanded roles and increased autonomy for nurses, greater capacity for family doctors to spend more time on complex cases, evidence-informed clinical guidelines and protocols, and stronger connections between PHC teams and community health organizations.
More Efficient and Organized
The successful execution of these reforms has laid a foundation for a more efficient and organized health care system beyond Syrdarya and across Uzbekistan. With the introduction of centers for nuclear medicine in Uzbekistan and other healthcare reforms in the works, the country is making great progress towards its goal of modernizing its health care system and creating a healthier country.
– Hannah Fruehstorfer
Photo: Flickr
Austria’s Poverty Increase in 2023
Austria’s poverty increase is due to many-layered socioeconomic conditions, but statistics show that many of Austria’s citizens suffering from or transitioning to poverty are either single parents or large families. Large families usually refer to households with three or more children; these households, along with single-parent households, are much more at risk of poverty compared to coupled households with two or fewer children. An added statistic is that single mothers are perhaps the most susceptible to increased poverty from year to year, since the mother needs to provide for both household income and the weight of raising the children of the household.
Family Allowance and Family Association for Mental Health
Currently, Austria has several avenues to help these types of households and counteract growing poverty, both in the form of reduction programs and citizen benefits. Unique to Austria is the cash transfer program Family Allowance, or “Familienbeihilfe,” which focuses on providing funds specifically used to aid children in a given household. However, although this program is largely open to any household in need, the amount of cash increases with the number of siblings residing in a household. In other words, the larger the family, the larger the cash transfer, making this program especially helpful in curbing Austria’s poverty increase.
Poverty reduction programs in Austria focus on economic and educational help. The Family Association for Mental Health (FAME) program is a very surgical and focused program. FAME primarily focuses on supporting children from ages 3-6 living in tough poverty conditions and works as a six-month education program for those children’s parents.
Additionally, the program further targets parents who have little to no access to the means of paying for parenting support. The six-month program consists of completing three separate modules with a mentor, allowing the children of the household to participate in activities, and fostering healthy family relationships while providing economic support for struggling families.
Citizen Benefits to Help Reduce Poverty
One of the best ways to stifle Austria’s poverty increase is through government-granted benefits to citizens in hard situations. Since Austria’s poverty increase mainly came from large families and single-parent households, there are several benefits available specifically for single mothers to avoid poverty.
For instance, it is illegal for pregnant women to work eight weeks before and after a delivery date, but the mother receives full net pay during this time. In some cases, maternity leave can even last up to two years after birth and parents can split it between each other. In addition, all mothers receive a monthly child-maintenance fund equivalent to $1,600, depending on the child’s age, job, and university level; this fund can increase up to $2,200. Single parents in Austria can also claim a single-parent tax allowance in addition to net pay and other programs such as the Family Allowance.
Looking Toward the Future
Austria’s increase in poverty is intricate and cautious, however, it might be possible to negate in future years with supportive policies and advocative bills passed in favor of not only providing for the citizens but encouraging a flourishing lifestyle for the entire family. No matter how big or small.
– Russell Bivins
Photo: Flickr